A spell of light rain, accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds, brought a sharp change in the weather for Delhi-NCR on Friday morning, providing respite from the rising heat of March.

According to reports by the India Meteorological Department, the rain has made this March the wettest in three years, as the average rainfall recorded till now stands at 9.4 mm. The last time such high rainfall was recorded for March was in 2023, when it stood at 50.4 mm, according to reports by news agency PTI.

Also Read | ‘Sweater weather’ returns to Delhi as rain brings winter-like chill; IMD issues yellow alert

The sudden change in weather is accompanied by a fall in temperatures, as the minimum temperature is recorded at 18C, and the maximum is expected to range from 23C to 25C.

IMD issues yellow alert, more rain likely

The IMD has issued a yellow alert for the day, warning of light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching 30–40 kmph, with gusts up to 50 kmph.

“Generally cloudy skies, with a spell of very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorm/lightning and strong surface winds… are likely,” the IMD said in its forecast.

Officials added that intermittent showers may continue through the day, with one or two spells expected between forenoon and evening.

Western disturbance behind sudden weather shift

Meteorologists attributed the change to an active western disturbance over northwest India, which intensified earlier this week.

Climate scientist Dr Pradeep, in a post on X, described the system as “unusual”, noting that a rare trough formation spanning thousands of kilometres could trigger stronger thunderstorms across north India.

The system has also disrupted the early summer trend that had started to set in the capital. Just earlier in the month, Delhi had seen temperatures soar to as high as 36.8C, which is almost eight degrees more than normal.

Also Read | Commercial LPG crunch hits Delhi eateries, menus cut, and losses rise

Relief from early summer heat

The rain has brought a noticeable dip in temperatures and a sense of comfort to Delhiites. Just a day prior to today, Delhi’s maximum temperatures had fallen below 30C for the first time in almost a month, dipping to 26.8C.

According to the seven-day forecast issued by the IMD, temperatures are likely to rise again after March 21 and reach 32-34C by March 25.